Digital Commons Network^™

Row Reduction Of Macaulay Matrices, Lorrin Debenport

Honors Theses

A computer can use a matrix to represent a system of non-linear multivariate polynomial equations. The fastest known ways to transform this system into a form with desirable computational properties rely on transforming its matrix into upper-triangular form [8, 9]. The matrix for such a system will have mostly zero entries, which we call sparse [7]. We propose to analyze several methods of performing row-reduction, the process by which matrices are reduced into upper-triangular form [2].

What is special about row-reducing matrices in this context? When row-reducing a matrix, swapping rows or columns is typically acceptable. However, if the order …

Assessing The Economic Impact Of Giant Salvinia On Caddo Lake, Texas, Corey Ainsworth

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Dental Management Of Those With Physical And Mental Disabilities, Ashley M. Fleck

Honors Theses

Those with physical and mental disabilities are at an increased risk of oral complications such as gingivitis and periodontal disease. In comparison with this risk, this population struggles to access appropriate dental care that accommodates those with disabilities. This thesis reviews the demographics of those with special needs, dental education barriers to working with this population and financial barriers that hinder access to care. An overview of the oral health problems of common disabilities is presented as well as behavioral management techniques that could be easily implemented in the dental office. A general review of good oral hygiene for those …

An Intervention In Stereotype Threat : Does Gender-Affirming Literature Reduce Female Vulnerability In Mathematics?, Emily Dowd

Honors Theses

The current study examined whether the presentation of gender-affirming literature, in the form of information about the University of Richmond‟s Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) program, mitigated female stereotype threat in the domain of mathematics. A pilot study tested 10 male and 10 female college-aged participants to determine whether a derogatory beer commercial produced the threat effect in women; results were inconclusive. A follow-up study used threat methods derived from previous research and information about the WGSS program at Richmond for the intervention manipulation. Results from 30 female college students indicated insufficient threat and a nonsignificant positive increase in …

Dayton, Ohio: A Study, Nolan Nicaise

Honors Theses

The urban forest is an important element of cityscapes today. Urban trees provide a habitat to wildlife populations, create more tolerable city living conditions, and better the lives of residents around them. The urban forest, however, is not distributed equitably to the urban population, and some residents receive more or less of its positive externalities. Montgomery County, Ohio, was chosen as the study site to determine if environmental injustice was present regarding the urban forest. It was found that there was environmental injustice present in Montgomery County, as the density of the urban forest was limited by the educational obtainment …

Xenopus Laevis Transgenic Lines And Their Use In The Study Of Lymph Heart Musculature Development, Diana M. Filtz

Honors Theses

Lymph hearts are pulsatile organs present in lower vertebrates that propel lymph throughout the body and into the venous system, assisting in the maintenance of fluid homeostasis. In organisms such as frogs, several pairs of lymph hearts develop amidst the somites during the early tadpole stages. Due to the unique structure and function of lymph heart musculature—exhibiting characteristics of both skeletal and cardiac muscle—the origin of these cells remains highly controversial. Studies have found that in Xenopus, the engrailed gene is expressed explicitly in lymph heart muscle cells throughout development. Through designing a transgenic …

Characterization Of Microbial Community Structure In The Octocoral Leptogorgia Virgulata, Blair E. Armistead

Honors Theses

The process of spicule formation in L. virgulata results in a drop in pH, which, if left unregulated, could lead to demineralization and subsequent animal death. Carbonic anhydrase has been suggested as a possible pH regulatory mechanism in L. virgulata tissues. This study focuses on an additional hypothetical mechanism of pH regulation involving the production of urease by endosymbiotic bacteria living within L. virgulata tissue. PCR and DGGE are used as culture-independent methods to characterize facets of microbial community structure on L. virgulata in order to identify one …

Scout's Daughters : Race And Creative Development In Contemporary Adolescent Literature, Amanda Malloy

Honors Theses

At the heart of what Roberta S. Trites titles ―adolescent literature‖ – works written both for and about young adults—is a question of agency (Disturbing 7). In Disturbing the Universe: Power and Repression in Adolescent Literature, Trites asserts that adolescent novels attempt to answer the question of young adults who wonder if they ―should or even can affect the world in which they live‖ (1). Trites‘ argument is based on the idea that the distinguishing characteristic of adolescent literature is its focus on ―the social forces‖ that …

Owl Pellet Dissection: An Opportunity For Discovery, Brenna N. Towery

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Trends In The Age Of Menarche, Elizabeth M. Nielsen

Honors Theses

Menarche is the onset of menses and this age this occurs differs with every girl.  There are many factors that can influence this age or result from it.  Menses is a crucial step in the process of pubertal maturation.  This study conducted a survey to women of the Carbondale, IL area ranging from 12.5 to 74.42 years old.  The survey inquired basic characteristics such as height, weight, and age of menarche.  Factors such as body mass index (BMI), plastic use due to estrogen-like endocrine disrupting chemicals, the maternal age at childbirth and population size were also determined.  The average age …

The Effect Of Xylitol On The Growth Of Three Normal Oral Commensal Or Probiotic Bacteria, Laura Walters

Honors Theses

Xylitol is a pentitol often used as a sweetener in products such as chewing gum. It is recommended to prevent dental caries because of its inhibitory effect on the most common etiological agent of caries, Streptococcus mutans. Xylitol inhibits the growth of S. mutans by inhibiting its glycolysis, causing a futile cycle. It also inhibits the adhesion of S. mutans by reducing the expression of the gene gtfB, which causes the secretion of sticky substances. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of xylitol on normal oral bacteria, particularly commensal and probiotic strains. The strains tested were …

Tegument Protein Subcellular Localization Of Human Cytomegalovirus, John Paul Tomtishen Iii

Honors Theses

To determine the subcellular localization of the tegument proteins pp65, pp71, pp150, and pp28 as fusions to one of several fluorescent proteins. Since these tegument proteins play pivotal roles in several stages of the viral life cycle, knowledge of where and the mechanism of how these proteins localize upon release could result in a better understanding of their function during a lytic infection as well as assist in the development of an effective, novel antiviral treatment.

Do Male Physiological Condition And Territory Quality Affect Female Choice In The Brown Anole, Anolis Sagrei?, Sarah P. Flanagan

Honors Theses

Female mate choice is an important component of sexual selection because traits that influence male mate preference, such as physiology, and proficiency in acquiring resources, are favored. In lizards, the importance of mate choice remains unclear as reported results from experiments are contradictory. In this study, I investigated whether male physiology and territory quality are important to female mate choice for male Brown Anoles, Anolis sagrei. I tested the hypotheses that female A. sagrei prefer males with greater physiological capacities, and prefer higher quality territories, regardless of male phenotype. To test these, male A. sagrei were first rated for …

Optimization And Analysis Of A Model Of The Mammalian Circadian Clock, Andrew M. Cox

Honors Theses

Circadian rhythms are found in plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria and are responsible for the regulation of many biological, physiological, behavioral, and metabolic activities. In mammals, the “master” clock is embedded in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the anterior hypothalamus. It is composed of thousands of cells signaling each other to synchronize and produce a unified rhythm. It is hypothesized that this communication enables the clock to rescue rhythms in gene knockout experiments that destroy oscillations at the single cell level. Henry Mirsky developed a model of this gene regulatory network within a single cell in 2009, but the published …

State Leadership For Safer Chemicals Policy Reform: Lessons From California, Maine, Minnesota And Washington, Michelle A. Russell

Honors Theses

Chemicals regulation under the U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 fails to protect human health. In the absence of federal protection, safer chemicals legislation and implementation is moving forward in four states: Maine, Minnesota, California and Washington. Working in response to a loud public cry of concern and persistent grassroots organizing, these four states have enacted laws that regulate chemicals in consumer products. Maine, Minnesota and Washington chose to focus on regulating the chemicals used in children’s products, taking into consideration greater vulnerability in early development and the compelling public priority to protect children’s health. The most important factors …

Keeping Nuclear Programs From Becoming Nuclear Weapons: A Game Theoretic And Econometric Analysis, Benjamin Guy Ogden

Honors Theses

There are currently only nine countries which possess nuclear weapons, but twenty-four countries have pursued the requisite technology. The question remains as to why nations ceased their programs, and whether the policies of the international community had anything to do with that decision. This paper uses both a game theoretic and a probit model with limited assumptions to attempt to uncover: a) what are the determinants of a country shuttering their nuclear weapon program, b) when "sticks and carrots" can be credible (subgame perfect), and c) how large of a role they play in the potential nuclear country's decision-making. I …

The Impact Of Tricaine Methanesulfonate, 2-Phenoxyethanol, And Carvone-Methyl Salicylate On The Innate Immune Response Of Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Charles R. Wulff

Honors Theses

Anesthesia plays a vital role in the maintenance of aquaculture species, where it is used to minimize stress during complex handling tasks such as transport, assessment, and harvesting. However, anesthetics have been shown to suppress the innate immune response, which could impact immunity and increase risk of infection. Tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) and 2-Phenoxyethanol (2-PE) represent two of the most commonly used anesthetics in aquaculture, with R-(+)-carvone, in the form of carvone-methyl salicylate (CMS) has recently been proposed as an alternative anesthetic for food fish. These three anesthetics were used to assess the influence of anesthetics on the immune system of …

Buffernomics: Assessing Willingness To Pay For Lake Conservation On North Pond And East Pond, Sophie D. Sarkar

Honors Theses

Hedonic property valuations in Maine have estimated that a one-meter decrease in water clarity can reduce shoreline property values by 4 to 16%. To avoid a loss on their lakefront investment, shoreline property owners have a particularly large incentive to conserve lake water quality. Nevertheless, while some shoreline residents voluntarily install vegetated buffers and actively participate in lake stewardship, others continue to ignore shoreline zoning laws at the expense of lake health. In this thesis, I examine the dichotomy of active and indifferent shoreline residents by analyzing the motivations that distinguish residents who are willing to pay (WTP) for and …

Zooplankton Of The Belgrade Lakes: The Influence Of Top-Down And Bottom-Up Forces In Family Abundance, Kimberly M. Bittler

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess the abundance and family diversity of zooplankton communities in the Belgrade Lakes, and to identify the broad scale and local variables that structure zooplankton communities in this region. The local effects of shoreline development and the presence of macrophyte patches were compared to larger scale variables, such as watershed wide residential development. Zooplankton are an intermediate link in the freshwater food web, and communities respond both to predation pressures as well as nutrient inputs. Shoreline development was expected to influence zooplankton densities by the increased nutrient inputs via erosion off developed sites …

Biomass Energy At Colby College, Rachel E. Baron

Honors Theses

In light of growing concern regarding the effects of global climate change, Colby College signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) in 2008. Through this pledge, Colby has committed to reducing carbon emissions in its Climate Action Plan (IPCC 2007; CCAP 2010). The College seeks to be carbon neutral by 2015 (CCAP 2010). This will be accomplished through a variety of mechanisms, one of which includes the construction of a biomass facility to replace most of the oil currently used for heating (CCAP 2010).

Anthropogenic global climate change has been documented by many scientists, but was widely …

The One That Carries You Away: Essays, Blair S. Braverman

Honors Theses

What is environmental writing? Phil Condon, author and professor at the University of Montana's Environmental Writing Institute, defines it as any piece of writing in which an important factor is nonhuman—be it animal, place, weather, et cetera. At the same time, he acknowledges that the primary limitation of this definition is its lack of limitations; because humans are constantly interacting with—and affected by—the nonhuman, virtually any piece of writing could be considered environmental. The Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment (ASLE), the nation's predominant organization for the academic study of environmental writing, defines itself through its focus …

The Body Of Margaret Atwood: Sex Work And Prostitution Within Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, Oryx And Crake, And The Year Of The Flood, Tyler Dinucci

Honors Theses

In this paper, I will argue that Canadian author Margaret Atwood uses fiscal and socially conservative dystopias to show how sex work and prostitution are choices that women would never have to make in a world with true gender equality. In these radically different worlds, women have no agency beyond their sexuality and no ability to express themselves as equals within either society. And while the structures of both societies, the society of The Handmaid’s Tale and that of both Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood, are inherently different, they both stem from modern conservative philosophies: for …

The Design Of Xml-Based Model And Experiment Description Languages For Network Simulation, Andy Hallagan

Honors Theses

The Simulation Automation Framework for Experiments (SAFE) is a project created to raise the level of abstraction in network simulation tools and thereby address issues that undermine credibility. SAFE incorporates best practices in network simulationto automate the experimental process and to guide users in the development of sound scientific studies using the popular ns-3 network simulator. My contributions to the SAFE project: the design of two XML-based languages called NEDL (ns-3 Experiment Description Language) and NSTL (ns-3 Script Templating Language), which facilitate the description of experiments and network simulationmodels, respectively. The languages provide a foundation for the construction of better …

A Framework For The Automation Of Discrete-Event Simulation Experiments, Bryan Ward

Honors Theses

Simulation is an important resource for researchers in diverse fields. However, many researchers have found flaws in the methodology of published simulation studies and have described the state of the simulation community as being in a crisis of credibility. This work describes the project of the Simulation Automation Framework for Experiments (SAFE), which addresses the issues that undermine credibility by automating the workflow in the execution of simulation studies. Automation reduces the number of opportunities for users to introduce error in the scientific process thereby improvingthe credibility of the final results. Automation also eases the job of simulation users and …

The Role Of Broad In Determining Neuronal Composition In The Drosophila Brain, Alper Dincer

Honors Theses

To elucidate the individual roles of the four Broad-Complex (BR-C) isoforms, Z1-Z4, on neuronal composition in the mushroom body, I undertook a series of overexpression experiments and created tools for knockdown experiments. Specifically, I imaged and analyzed Drosophila brains from earlier experiments in which BR-C isoforms Z1 and Z3 were individually overexpressed in the MB. The knockdown experiments required the creation of the molecular tools necessary for isoform-specific RNA interference (RNAi). For these I performed PCR to amplify DNA sequences unique to each isoform and inserted those into the pWIZ vector, which will permit expression of loopless hairpin double stranded …

Microbial Community Analysis Of Lake Chillisquaque, A Small Water System In Central Pennsylvania, Allison Mayhew

Honors Theses

Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic organisms that require the absorption of light for the completion of photosynthesis. Cyanobacteria can use a variety of wavelengths of light within thevisible light spectrum in order to harvest energy for this process. Many species of cyanobacteria have light-harvesting proteins that specialize in the absorption of a small range of wavelengths oflight along the visual light spectrum; others can undergo complementary chromatic adaptation and alter these light-harvesting proteins in order to absorb the wavelengths of light that are mostavailable in a given environment. This variation in light-harvesting phenotype across cyanobacteria leads to the utilization of environmental niches …

Unethical Decision Making : Understanding The Role Of Leadership And Gender, Laura A. Poatsy

Honors Theses

This study examined the effects leadership role and gender have on unethical decision making and the engagement in unethical behaviors. 64 undergraduate students were exposed to both hypothetical and behavioral measures that tested their willingness to engage in unethical behaviors. The results indicate a significant effect of leadership role on unethical decision making. Furthermore, goal importance and self-efficacy are driving factors in leaders' propensity to engage in unethical behaviors. These findings demonstrate the different circumstances that drive individuals who associate with different gender-roles and are placed in various leadership-roles to act in unethical ways.

Comparative Analysis Of Salt And Water Fluoridation In Non-Industrialized Countries, Chelsea Elizabeth Mitchell

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

And Justice For All: Non-Native English Speakers In The American Legal System, Leah Michelle Nodar

Honors Theses

One of the most important rights enshrined in the American Constitution is the right to due process of law. However, the execution of this right has been sporadic, and some groups have been consistently disadvantaged. Speakers of English as a second language make up one such group, especially limited English proficiency (LEP) speakers. LEP speakers' access to due process took a step forward with the 1978 Court Interpreters Act, which guaranteed interpreters for anyone who ‘‘speaks only or primarily a language other than the English language." However, decisions as to who speaks “primarily” a foreign language and who speaks English …

Branding A University's Mascot, Stanley Ryan Viner

Honors Theses

The objective of this paper is to investigate the dilemma many collegiate institutions have with the appropriateness of their symbols, particularly the mascot, and how these symbols can affect the overall brand equity of a university. Plausible connections between the mascot, symbols, and brands will be formulated validating the claim that a mascot is a brand, which will pcmiit the direct application of marketing and branding theories to the mascot situation at The University of Mississippi. The importance of the mascot and the human response to collegiate symbols will be explored by the utilization of two psychological theories - Social …